Block Course 2026

Scope

The lectures of the Block Course "Materials, Functioning and Technology of Batteries" cover the full spectrum of electrochemical energy storage and conversion, from theory to engineering and from fundamentals to applications.

Poster sessions and social events like lab tours, joint dinners offer ideal conditions to connect to other young researchers in the field.

 

Target Group

The Block Course of the GS-EES is open to all interested doctoral researchers, master students and post-docs, no matter at which institution they are enrolled. 

Dates and Venue

Part 1
4th to 7th May 2026
Justus Liebig University, Giessen
C 106, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 19
35392 Giessen, Germany

Part 2
20th to 23rd October 2026 
Ulm University
Dr Barbara Mez-Starck Haus
Oberberghof 7
89081 Ulm, Germany

 

Costs

The Block Course is free of charge for GS-EES members and students related to CELEST. If you are uncertain whether you can participate free of charge, please get in touch with us.

For part 1, the fee for external participants is 130 €. It includes snacks, lunch, cold and warm beverages, coffee and cake during coffee breaks, dinner on the first night and a guided tour of the Liebig Museum/entry to the Mathematikum.

For part 2, the fee for external participants is 219 €. It includes snacks, lunch, cold and warm beverages, coffee breaks, Geocaching and one joint dinner.

 

Accomodation

Accomodation is not included.

Contact

In case of any questions related to the Block Course, please email us.

Registration

Registration will open soon. Please register before 20th September 2026.

Impressions of previous years

Several fotos showing activites of the Block Course 2024

Schedule Part 1

Time Monday, 4 May 2026 Tuesday, 5 May 2026 Wednesday, 6 May 2026 Thursday, 7 May 2026
09:00-10:30 Renewable Technology
Dr. Joachim Sann		 Publishing / Scientific Graphs
Dr. Bjoern Luerßen		 Surface Analytics in Battery Research
Prof. Dr. Marcus Rohnke
10:30-11:00 Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break
11:00-12:30 Arrival
 Lab Tour Poster Session II Good Scientific Practice
Dr. Christian Punckt
12:30-14:00 Welcome / Joint Lunch Lunch Break Lunch Break Lunch Break
14:00-15:30 Introduction
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek		 Electrochemical Basics
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek		 Carbon Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage
Prof. Dr. Bernd Smarsly		 Good Scientific Practice
Dr. Christian Punckt
15:30-15:45 Coffee Break Coffee Break Coffee Break Departure
15:45-16:45 Electrochemical Basics
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek		 Introduction to Different Battery Chemistries Apart from Li-Ion
Prof. Dr. Linda Nazar (online)		 Guided Tour
(Liebig Museum)
16:45-17:00 Coffee Break Coffee Break Guided Tour
(Liebig Museum)
17:00-18:00 Keynote Speech: “Understanding Culture, Enhancing Teamwork: Insights for Research Excellence”
Dr. Iris Wangerman		 Poster Session I Guided Tour
(Liebig Museum)
18:00-20:00 World Café & Joint Dinner Free evening Joint Dinner Moto59

Schedule Part 2

Time Tuesday, 20 October 2026 Wednesday, 21 October 2026 Thursday, 22 October 2026 Friday, 23 October 2026
09:00-09:30 Analysis of Porosity
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause		 Layered Materials
Dr. Simon Fleischmann		 Inorganic Battery Materials
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
09:30-10:00 In operando PXRD
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause		 Layered Materials
Dr. Simon Fleischmann		 Inorganic Battery Materials
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
10:00-10:30
Coffee Break Coffee Break Inorganic Battery Materials
Prof. Dr. Mika Lindén
10:30-11:00 Surface Analysis Method
Dr. Joachim Bansmann		 Electrolytes
Prof. Dr. Dominic Bresser		 Coffee Break
11:00-11:30 Surface Analysis Method
Dr. Joachim Bansmann		 Electrolytes
Prof. Dr. Dominic Bresser		 Conclusion
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause
11:30-12:00 Surface Analysis Method
apl. Prof. Dr. Christine Kranz		 Molecular Framework Materials
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause
12:00-12:30 Welcome
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause		 Surface Analysis Method
apl. Prof. Dr. Christine Kranz		 Molecular Framework Materials
Prof. Dr. Simon Krause
12:30-13:30 Lunch Break Lunch Break Lunch Break
13:30-14:00 Quo Vadis Energy
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner		 Research Data
Dr. Christian Punckt		 Organic Battery Materials
Prof. Dr. Birgit Esser
14:00-14:30 Quo Vadis Energy
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner		 High Throughput methods
Prof. Dr. Laurence Hardwick		 Organic Battery Materials
Prof. Dr. Birgit Esser
14:30-15:00 Coffee Break + Speed Dating High Throughput methods
Prof. Dr. Laurence Hardwick		 Coffee Break and walk to LM16
15:00-15:30 Coffee Break + Speed Dating Coffee Break Lab Tour at LM16
15:30-16:00 Hydrogen Technologies
Dr. Ludwig Jörissen		 Computational Methods in Battery Science
Prof. Dr. Axel Groß		 Lab Tour at LM16
16:00-16:30 Hydrogen Technologies
Dr. Ludwig Jörissen		 Computational Methods in Battery Science
Prof. Dr. Axel Groß		 Transfer to City Center
16:30-17:00 Hydrogen Technologies
Dr. Ludwig Jörissen		 Geocaching Ulm
17:00-17:30 Electron Microscopy
Dr. Simon Fleischmann		 Geocaching Ulm
17:30-18:00 Electron Microscopy
Dr. Simon Fleischmann		 Free Evening Geocaching Ulm
18:00 Dinner City Ulm Free Evening Dinner City Ulm

Contents of lectures

Part 1

 

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek
Introduction to Battery Technologies, the Post-Lithium-Ion Strategy, Key Concepts, and to Electrochemical Fundamentals

Dr. Joachim Sann
Fundamentals of surfaces and interfaces (thermodynamics, structures, kinetics of surface processes) and how they relate to batteries

Prof. Dr. Linda Nazar
Introduction to Different Battery Chemistries Apart from Lithium-Ion

Apl. Prof. Dr. Marcus Rohnke
The Interface is Everything: Surface Analytics in Modern Battery Research

Dr. Björn Luerßen
How to Design Scientific Graphics and Posters

Dr. Christian Punckt
Introduction to Good Scientific Practice

Prof. Dr. Bernd Smarsly
Overview of Carbon Materials in the Context of Sustainability, Highlighting their Role in Sodium-Ion Batteries as well as their Broader Applications in Energy Storage and Other Technologies